


Reality

by Gelsey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-19
Updated: 2013-08-19
Packaged: 2017-12-24 01:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/933640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelsey/pseuds/Gelsey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pansy’s reality is shattered by unspeakable tragedy. One person helps her back toward reality.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reality

Reality split, parted. The world, once steady, bisected.

Once broken in two, cracks started to spread and slowly everything began to crumble, shatter, leaving only scattered rubble in its wake.

It took place in the span of a heartbeat, the blink of an eye, a quick gasp of air.

It left Pansy breathless, unsure of whether she should scream or collapse. Her knees went weak, but she didn’t notice until the pain of gravel gouging the flesh of her knees bled into her existence.

“Miss, miss! Are you all right?” Someone shook her shoulder—she moved with the movement loosely, a little stuffed doll.

“Parkinson!” A hand tapped her cheek gently, then more forcefully.

It took three slaps and a full minute before she responded, blinking tear-filled eyes and finally meeting the gaze of the Auror in front of her. Recognition filled her as the tears started sliding down her face—Harry Potter, Savior of the wizarding world. He would never help _her_.

“Pansy!” She flinched back as his hand raised again, and it never connected.

“They killed her,” she said numbly. “They came for me, but they killed her.” Reality tried to solidify, raise its ugly head again, but she slammed her fists against Harry’s chest, pounding uselessly. The little pain, the distraction of his grappling with her, allowed reality to dissolve once again.

“My baby, my baby,” she moaned into his chest. “Because of something I said years ago, my baby.”

His arms tightened convulsively around her, and she found it strangely comforting before she passed out.

* * *

Reality blurred, fractured. The world swirled, coalesced, and came apart once more.

It became a jigsaw puzzle that Pansy did not want to put together. But the hospital was insistent, and _he_ was insistent, in his own way. It was a quiet way, for he didn’t say much.

The only thing Harry did say, that only thing that stuck and made an impact on haze of her days, was, “I never blamed you for what you said that day. You only said what everyone else was thinking and felt guilty for considering.”

She looked at him, blinked, and for a moment let reality in before she collapsed inward from the pain in her heart.

* * *

It was slow, but she began to heal. She began to _allow_ herself to heal. Her safe haze slowly blended into reality again.

The biggest step came when Harry caught the person who had killed her baby. Knowing led to acceptance, and knowing the backstory led to a tentative forgiveness that would probably never be complete.

Freed of the hospital, back in the world, she fully expected her savior to continue on, past her to the next person. But he stayed, a fixed constant in her uncertain existence, and slowly it became more.

It surprised her as much as anyone else, but it didn’t make it any less real. And she needed real.

Reality centered, clicked, and became real once more.


End file.
